ACADEMY AWARD WINNING DIRECTOR CAMERON CROWE RELEASES HIS DIRECTORIAL DEBUT TOM PETTY: HEARTBREAKERS BEACH PARTY IN CINEMAS FOR THE FIRST TIME ON OCTOBER 17 AND 20

FULLY RESTORED WITH 20 MINUTES OF ADDITIONAL UNRELEASED FOOTAGE

Los Angeles, CA & London, UK – September 10, 2024 — Trafalgar Releasing and the Tom Petty Estate are thrilled to announce the highly anticipated big screen debut of TOM PETTY: HEARTBREAKERS BEACH PARTY. The lost 1983 cult classic documentary, directed by legendary Rolling Stone journalist and Academy Award-winning director Cameron Crowe (Almost Famous, Jerry Maguire), will screen in cinemas worldwide for two special nights only on October 17 and October 20 (on what would have been Tom Petty’s 74th birthday). Fans will experience Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers like never before with a new introduction from Crowe himself and an all-new 20-minute cut of unreleased outtakes from the acclaimed director. Watch/share the trailer HERE.

“Heartbreakers Beach Party occupies a special place in my heart,” says Crowe. “Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers leaned into the making of the film with a kind of hilarious music-filled honesty that still feels fresh forty years later. It was also my first experience as a director. Thanks to Adria Petty and the Petty Estate, along with our co-filmmakers Danny Bramson, Phil Savenick, Doug Dowdle and Greg Mariotti, I’m so happy we’re bringing it back in all its reckless glory. The fact that it was yanked from MTV after only one airing at 2:00 A.M. just shows that it was indeed an outlandish feast for fans in all the best ways. Let that sucker blast!”

Tickets for TOM PETTY: HEARTBREAKERS BEACH PARTY are available now at www.TomPettyFilm.com.

This cinematic event marks the first time TOM PETTY: HEARTBREAKERS BEACH PARTY has been seen on the big screen, fully remastered in 4K. Originally airing only once on MTV in February 1983, it was Crowe’s directorial debut and pirated versions have been coveted by fans ever since. Featuring a mix of in-depth interviews, electrifying live performances and unprecedented intimate access to Petty and the band—including Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench, Stan Lynch, and new addition Howie Epstein—the film’s influence can even be seen in Rob Reiner’s This Is Spinal Tap.

The film, now restored from its 16mm source by Crowe, reveals an era defining look at rock & roll in 1982 when Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers finished, promoted and toured around the groundbreaking album Long After Dark. Often misunderstood, this is the band’s third and final album with legendary rock producer Jimmy Iovine. Alongside the film an expansive reissue, Long After Dark (Deluxe Edition), featuring a collection of rediscovered and unheard songs will be released on October 18.

MTV, a relatively new network at the time, was instrumental in shaping music culture, and this film captures the essence of that era. The film features behind the scenes footage of the iconic apocalyptic western music video for “You Got Lucky,” directed by Jim Lenahan, which was groundbreaking and pioneering for its short film approach and futuristic style.

This is the second “Meet Up” for Tom Petty fans following the successful 2021 Trafalgar release of award-winning and critically acclaimed Tom Petty: Somewhere You Feel Free - The Making of Wildflowers.

“This special cinematic event offers Tom Petty fans a unique opportunity to unite and honor the music that has deeply resonated with countless fans through many decades and generations,” says Kymberli Frueh, Senior Vice President for Programming and Content Acquisitions at Trafalgar Releasing. “The cinema platform offers a way for these fans to connect with one another and hopefully create new memories together.”

About Tom Petty

Over his 40-year career, Tom Petty became a beloved American rock & roll icon, world renowned for his songwriting and his incredible band the Heartbreakers. In addition to the 13 studio albums he made with the Heartbreakers, Petty recorded three solo albums, including the acclaimed Full Moon Fever and Wildflowers. Petty was also a member of the supergroup, Traveling Wilburys, and in the pre-Heartbreakers band, Mudcrutch.

Hailed as one of the greatest popular music artists of all time, Petty’s honors include Songwriters Hall of Fame, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and multiple Grammy Awards. He has sold over 85 million records, amassed over 5 billion streams and performed to over 140 million fans worldwide. Tom Petty passed away in 2017 shortly after completing his 40th anniversary tour, leaving behind a trove of unreleased material. His music continues to reach fans, both new and old, around the world today.

About Trafalgar Releasing

Trafalgar Releasing, the global leader in event cinema distribution, harnesses the power of cinema to bring fans together in more than 15,000 cinemas across 132 countries. A subsidiary of Trafalgar Entertainment, Trafalgar Releasing’s operations include production, acquisition, marketing, and distribution of live or pre-recorded content to cinemas worldwide led by an international team based in the UK, US and Germany. Featuring live concerts, music documentaries, world-class opera, award-winning theatre, and more from leading names in entertainment such as Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, BTS, Metallica, Oasis, Coldplay, Billie Eilish, the Royal Opera House and others, Trafalgar Releasing has repeatedly shattered event cinema box office records, most recently with international distribution for TAYLOR SWIFT | THE ERAS TOUR, the highest-grossing concert film of all time. Information about Trafalgar Releasing can be found at www.trafalgar-releasing.com.

For more information and press inquiries please contact:

US & Australia:

Carla Sacks & Krista Williams at Sacks & Co.,212-741-1000

UK:

Barbara Charone, Anthony Giannaccini or Ashley Matthews at MCB.

Rest of World:

Trafalgar Releasing.

TRAILER:

TOM PETTY: HEARTBREAKERS BEACH PARTY SYNOPSIS:

In 2024, the long-thought lost 16mm reels of Tom Petty in Cameron Crowe’s first film, “Heartbreakers Beach Party”, were finally found. The classic ‘80s documentary captures Tom Petty and the band in 1982-1983 as they finish, promote, and tour around the “Long After Dark” album (their final with legendary producer Jimmy Iovine). After its initial airing on MTV in 1983, the film was deemed too experimental and abruptly pulled from the air. In the more than 40 years since, it has become folklore to fans, musicians and within the entertainment industry - even credited with inspiring scenes in Spinal Tap. The highly anticipated & fully remastered “Heartbreakers Beach Party” is a fun, candid, fast paced, & musically rich ride with America’s greatest rock & roll band, a time capsule of the dawn of the MTV era, and a rare & shining glimpse into Tom Petty’s lasting creative genius.

This exclusive theatrical release features 19 minutes of fully remastered, never-before-seen, archival bonus footage and new commentary from director Cameron Crowe.

Directed by: Cameron Crowe, Doug Dowdle, & Phil Savenick

Starring: Tom Petty, Cameron Crowe, Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench, Stan Lynch, Howie Epstein & Stevie Nicks